FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Q: How did Lance get this disease?
A: Doctors do not really know how this disease initiates. Genetics may play a part though many children get this disease without any family history. It is believed that a typical virus (i.e. Strep, Flu, etc.) kick-starts the imune system to fight off the infection which inadvertantly attack the insulin producing cells in the pancreas. Ultimately, all of the insulin producing cells are destroyed which creates this condition.

Q: Will Lance outgrow this condition?
A: No. Once the insulin producing cells are destroyed, they do not regenerate. Lance will have this condition for the rest of his life.

Q: How did you know he had Diabetes?
A: When there is insufficient insulin in the body, the sugar in your blood stream can not get to the cells where it is needed. So, the sugars keep building up. The body tries to get rid of the excess sugar through the urine. One of the common symptoms of diabetics is to be very thirsty and excessive urination. Lance had both of these symptoms. He could not get enough water to drink. He was chugging the bath water from a bucket! We were going to the potty and changing diapers every fifteen minutes! After Thanksgiving holiday we realized that this was not normal and took him in to see the doctor.

Q: Does Lance have to eat all sugar-free foods?
A: No. He can actually eat anything he wants as long as the carbs are within his "budget". With his insulin regimen he has a prescribed amount of carbs to eat with each meal or snack. We have to plan his food intake to be within this budget.

Q: I heard about this new treatment/drug/study for diabetics. Have you looked into that?
A: We are finding out that all the revolutionary new treatments, drugs, or studies are not qualified for toddlers. Even standard equipment like the pump are not recommended for toddlers. Most of the new stuff is tried out on adults and then teenagers before it becomes approved for all patients.

Post a question if you would like and I will try to answer it.